


In For the Kill

by Polomonkey



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Exhibitionism, Fighting Kink, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Public Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 02:13:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13284759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polomonkey/pseuds/Polomonkey
Summary: It's the championship fight at Camelot Arena, and Merlin's confident of a win against Arthur. Unless, of course, his heat comes early...





	In For the Kill

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for this fic came directly from the lovely argentsleeper a couple of years ago, thank you for the inspiration Aggy <333
> 
> Fills my h/c bingo square 'arena'. Usual warnings around abo and heat cycles and potentially dodgy biological imperatives apply.

Merlin had been looking forward to the Arena Battle all year.

For nearly half a century, Camelot Arena had played host to the annual Alpha Freeform Battle - a fighting contest that pitted alpha against alpha until one emerged victorious. Then in 1977, after years of protest and petitioning, the competition was opened up to omegas to become the Freeform Camelot Battle. Morgause Gorlois was the first ever omega winner in 1978 and no one had doubted the ability of omegas to compete since.

Merlin had pinned a poster of Morgause on his wall aged fifteen and he’d been waiting for this moment about as long. He’d entered four years ago and come seventh. Three years ago he’d come fourth. Last year he came second. And this year he was going to win.

The final was today and all he had to do was beat Arthur Pendragon, alpha champion and irritant extraordinaire.

It was going to be a close fight, by all accounts. They were pretty evenly matched. Arthur was stronger but Merlin was faster. Arthur punched better but Merlin kicked harder. And both of them were stubborn as hell and unwilling to back down.

Not that Merlin intended to back down. As far as he was concerned, this fight was in the bag. He couldn’t wait to hold the trophy aloft and he certainly couldn’t wait to see the look on Arthur’s stupid face.

That stupid face was still looking smug when Merlin walked out to meet him in the arena. The crowd was huge and Merlin could pick out a hundred different smells from the front row alone, even stronger than they’d normally be due to the adrenaline. He didn’t need the distraction so he shut off his higher olfactory function and the arena came back into focus.

Their referee was retired fighter Sophia Sidney, which Merlin was pleased about. She’d be tough but fair and she wouldn’t break up a skirmish unless she absolutely had to.

Arthur smirked at him as the commentators announced their match. He squeezed Merlin's hand very hard when they shook, grinning all the while.

Well, two could play the pysch-out game. Merlin blew Arthur a kiss and was gratified to see him look wrong footed.

“Right gentlemen, nice clean fight please,” Sophia said briskly. “Don’t make me come in there and break you two up.”

“And anticipation is rife as this championship final is about to kick off,” Aglain Bates announced from the commentators box. “I’m joined by former champion Morgause Gorlois and we are just about ready to begin.”

“It’s a real grudge match today between Emrys and Pendragon,” Morgause said. “Lots of tough talk going round in the media, let’s hope both men can live up to their claims.”

“I don’t doubt that it’ll be a close one to call, Morgause. I’m hoping for a good show from both tonight.”

Merlin blocked them out and cracked his joints, limbering up. They were both wearing knuckle wraps and little else – rules allowed for a jock strap and that was about it. Male competitors usually went shirtless, and they both were today. Merlin was dressed in his customary blue shorts and Arthur’s were in a shade he annoyingly referred to as Pendragon red. The man was rarely seen in any other colours, probably some kind of sponsorship deal. Merlin couldn’t care less about the big money side of arena fighting; he was in it for the glory alone. Not that he could dismiss Arthur as some talentless showboat, sadly. The alpha was too good an opponent to be underestimated.

He only had time for one final crack of his back before the whistle sounded. Arthur instantly leapt forward and Merlin squared his shoulders, adrenaline already ripping through him. Oh, he was going to enjoy this.

They danced around each other for a little while, landing a few cursory blows. Then Merlin caught Arthur with a strong push kick to the knee. He staggered for a second, then came back with a hard swipe that Merlin ducked.

“You’ll have to do better than that,” he sang out and Arthur growled.

“When I win, I might make you kiss my feet in apology,” he bit out.

“When _I_ win, you can kiss something else.”

Arthur barrelled headfirst in to him, knocking him straight to the ground. Merlin had a strange sensation for a second, like the air had become very thick around him, but it was probably just the feeling of being winded. He rolled over and sprang back to his feet before Arthur could, bringing his foot down in an axe kick that Arthur only just managed to dodge.

“Emrys is in extremely strong form here, Pendragon’s looking positively slow next to him.”

“Agreed, it’s definitely been Emrys’ fight so far and he hasn’t let up yet.”

Merlin didn’t need to hear the snatches of commentary to confirm what he already knew – he was dominating the match. Confidence mounting, he feinted to the left and then hit Arthur with a sucker punch to the side. Arthur was ready for him this time, knocking him off balance with a right hook that spun him all the way round.

Arthur grabbed him from behind and for a moment Merlin experienced that same heady rush as before when he breathed in Arthur’s scent. But he shook it off and doubled over, running backwards into Arthur. There was a satisfying ‘oof’ and Arthur’s grip loosened slightly. Merlin brought the heel of his foot down on Arthur’s toes, and Arthur finally released him. Merlin immediately turned, landing a jab to the face that sent Arthur reeling.

It was time to finish him. Smirking, Merlin advanced. Arthur was still in a daze and Merlin knew that one hefty roundhouse would be enough to take him down for good.

He readied himself…

… and then a sudden spasm bent him in two. A very familiar spasm.

Oh fuck. Oh no.

It was his heat.

It was eight days early! How was this even possible? He’d been regular since he was sixteen years old!

Merlin tried to straighten up, to ignore the warmth rapidly spreading through his body. He lifted his leg to kick but it wobbled and he had to abort the move, lest he overbalanced.

It was too late anyway. Arthur had recovered, his eyes clear again. He raised his fists and Merlin tried to regroup.

_Just finish it. Knock him out. Then go take care of this._

But Arthur was already on him, wrapping his arm around Merlin’s neck before Merlin could dodge away.

“Well it’s never too late to turn a fight around, and it looks like Emrys is on the back foot now as Pendragon uses his famous chokehold.”

Merlin could feel rather than see Arthur’s grin as his arm tightened round Merlin’s neck. Elyan was going to kill him. His coach couldn’t have been any more insistent about not letting Arthur get anywhere near him with a chokehold, the move that Arthur was legendary for ending fights with.

He tried to pull away but he couldn’t get any leverage, and his legs were still too shaky too kick properly. Damnit, it couldn’t end like this…

Then suddenly Arthur stiffened.

“Are you… in heat?”

God, this was humiliating. Merlin shut his eyes, trying to ignore the way Arthur’s breath felt tickling his ear.

“Obviously,” he gritted out.

“Why aren’t you on suppressants?” Arthur hissed, and though he didn’t free his grip, the pressure around Merlin’s neck lessened slightly.

“Mind your own business,” Merlin snapped. Arthur _really_ needed to stop whispering in his ear. It was turning Merlin’s stomach to a pleasurable goo.

Not that there was anything special about Arthur Pendragon. Any alpha in such close proximity to him at a time like this would have the same effect.

Merlin had almost convinced himself of that fact when he caught a wave of Arthur’s scent and his knees practically buckled.

“Jesus!” Arthur said. “What kind of idiot doesn’t even- ow!”

Merlin might have been in dire straits but he wasn’t going to take a lecture in omega health from a knothead like Arthur. The elbow he’d jabbed back into Arthur’s ribs made a satisfying connection and Merlin’s neck was finally free.

A few paces away from Arthur, his head cleared a little. He glanced at the crowd, most of whom were perking up after the unexpected pause. Hopefully they just thought it had been a mutually exhausted clinch rather than anything incriminating. He needed to finish this fight before anyone else cottoned on.

Not trusting his leg to lift high enough, Merlin attempted a crouching sweep instead but Arthur jumped to avoid him. And then, oh God, could he even get back up again?

“What are you doing?” Arthur demanded. “End the fight, this is ridiculous.”

“I’m not forfeiting,” Merlin said, teeth clenched.

“You’re in heat!”

“And I can still beat you.”

Arthur’s eyes narrowed.

“Fine. If you won’t concede, I’ll finish this for you.”

Merlin had no time to defend against the blow to the chest and he swayed on unsteady feet, trying to get some kind of guard up. To his surprise, Arthur didn’t take advantage. He had a very odd look on his face as he surveyed Merlin.

“What?”

“Just… feels wrong,” he muttered.

“Eh?”

“Christ, Merlin, every instinct in my body goes against hitting an omega in heat!”

Arthur looked deeply uncomfortable and Merlin was about to blast him for sexist assumptions when he reflected that, actually, an alpha revulsion against hurting an omega in heat wasn’t exactly a bad thing. Except in this specific scenario, damnit!

“Get over it,” Merlin snapped but the harshness of his tone was undercut by the way he was clutching his stomach.

“Emrys looks to be in some trouble here, that last torso blow from Pendragon seems to have knocked him off kilter-”

“He’s been wobbly since the failed roundhouse Aglain, perhaps that earlier right hook shook him more than it seemed to…”

Good, let them think he was reeling from the fight. Merlin fought another spasm and straightened up.

He stepped forward and Arthur immediately stepped back.

“Oh, just hit me.”

“I can’t.”

“Pendragon-”

“No. I’m telling the judges. This fight is over.”

The part of Merlin that wasn’t overcome by heat flared up in rage. Who did Arthur think he was? The perfect noble alpha, graciously ending the fight to save the poor heat-addled omega from himself. It was infuriating.

Without thinking about it, he launched himself at Arthur’s retreating back. Arthur tipped over with a grunt but managed to drag Merlin down with him. Merlin tried to pin Arthur to the floor but he rolled them with a growl, straddling Merlin’s hips and pinning his arms. Which left his crotch on a level with Arthur’s and oh God…

Merlin squirmed desperately but that just made it worse. He was hard as a rock all of a sudden and the only thing he could think about was the knot in Arthur’s pants.

“Merlin, are you…”

Arthur’s face changed from furious to… Well, something else entirely. And that wasn’t the only change. His scent took on a richer aspect, something almost smoky, and it smelt like heaven to Merlin.

“I’m just gonna get up now and-”

“Like fuck you are,” Merlin said hoarsely.

“We can’t-”

“We can, though,” Merlin said, because he could feel Arthur was just as aroused as he was.

“But… the fight…”

“You were losing anyway,” Merlin said, and unexpectedly Arthur laughed.

“Oh fuck it,” he said, and smashed their lips together.

There was a roar from the crowd but Merlin was more interested in humping up against Arthur’s crotch. Arthur reached down to rub at his cock and Merlin sighed with pleasure, bringing his hand round to squeeze a handful of Arthur’s arse.

God he was so wet. He could feel the slick beginning to trickle down his legs and it only made him hornier.

“…in the history of these games, I never thought I’d see a double disqualification-”

“And in a championship match, Aglain – totally unprecedented,” Morgause was saying. “Elena Gawant and Vivian Jade did end a match like this in the 1997 semi-finals and there was a lot of discussion then about the boundaries of…”

Merlin tuned the commentators out. He was aware of the thousands of eyes on him, watching as Arthur peeled down Merlin’s shorts. He should have been ashamed but it was only intensifying his high. He’d always had a bit of an exhibitionism kink, and judging by the expression on Arthur’s face, the alpha might have one too.

He raised his hips and Arthur pulled his jock strap off with one swift movement. Merlin’s cock sprung free, hard as a rock and straining upwards. There was an audible gasp from the crowd but Merlin was caught up by the hunger in Arthur’s eyes, the naked lust and want.

The alpha wasted no time shucking his own shorts and jock, and Merlin let out a wanton groan at the sight of Arthur’s cock; with the tantalising beginnings of a promisingly swollen knot.

“Jesus,” he breathed and Arthur smirked.

“Like what you see?”

“Shut up and fuck me, knothead,” Merlin shot back but there was no bite to it like there’d been before. There was no one else he’d rather be with than Arthur right now.

Strong hands spread his legs wide and Merlin idly wondered if any in the audience were close enough to see the slick glistening on his thighs.

“You’re so wet,” Arthur said in a strangled voice, and Merlin grinned.

“Lick it up, alpha,” he said and Arthur didn’t need a second invite. He mouthed along Merlin’s thighs, licking the base of Merlin’s cock before dipping his head to tongue-fuck his hole.

Merlin arched his back and whimpered. Arthur’s tongue felt incredible inside him, even if he needed more stimulation, needed to be filled…

He caught a glint of camera flashes as his head tilted back and he realised most people in the crowd were filming this. It’d likely be all over the internet by the day’s end and Merlin found he didn’t care at all. The prospect of countless people getting off to him and Arthur fucking only made him harder.

Merlin squeezed his thighs together round Arthur’s face and waited for the alpha to surface.

“Do it now,” he said, not caring how needy he sounded. Arthur looked completely wrecked himself, lips red and swollen and hair in disarray.

“You’re ready?” he said, and rather than waiting for an answer, plunged two fingers straight into Merlin’s hole to check. Merlin gasped with pleasure, clenching around Arthur and wriggling his hips.

“Yes, fuck, do it…”

Arthur pumped his fingers a couple of times and then withdrew them. He lined up his cock, leaning over Merlin so that his scent was overwhelming. Merlin shivered with delight, almost hard enough to come untouched.

Arthur thrust into him with satisfying force and Merlin let any sense of restraint go, giving voice to his peaking arousal. He could no longer hear the commentators, even the roar from the crowd was muted, all his senses were focused on Arthur and the feel of being fucked so thoroughly and so well.

Merlin let himself be rocked back on Arthur’s cock, occasionally clenching his hole but mainly just letting Arthur do the hard work. When he could feel Arthur’s knot begin to swell, he hooked his legs around Arthur’s waist and drew him even closer.

The angle changed and all of Merlin’s nerve endings lit on fire. Heat sex was like nothing else, every sense was heightened to the point of extremity, and Merlin was just about to burst with it.

Arthur thrust once more and Merlin screamed, his orgasm exploding through him. His whole body spasmed and his hole tightened around Arthur, who moaned at the added sensation. The aftershocks rippled through Merlin and he could only pant and gasp, so high on his release that it almost hurt.

Less than a minute later, Arthur followed, with a bitten off cry. Barely recovered from his orgasm, Merlin groaned as he felt Arthur’s knot swelling inside him. It was too much, but the good kind of too much. Arthur exhaled and then he slumped on top of Merlin, pressing his face into Merlin’s neck.

“Alright?” he whispered.

“Mmm,” Merlin said, a little dreamily. He always loved this part, the solid presence inside him, anchoring him to his partner.

“That was incredible.”

“Glad you think so,” Merlin murmured. “It’s gonna be on YouTube for the rest of our lives probably.”

“Good,” Arthur said into his neck. “Gives me something to watch when I get home.”

“Or you could take the real thing with you,” Merlin said. It wasn’t what he had come for today, but if he couldn’t leave with the trophy, he’d damn well be taking Arthur with him instead. He’d never had sex like that before and it wasn’t normal for him to feel this kind of connection. He didn’t want to let it go just like that.

Arthur lifted his head to look Merlin in the eye.

“I thought this was just… heat-lust,” he said, and for the first time he seemed almost nervous.

“So did I,” Merlin admitted. “But you’ve taken the edge right off and I still seem to fancy the fuck out of you so I guess not.”

Arthur grinned then.

“So I’m like today's consolation prize?”

“Yeah,” Merlin said. “And I’m feeling oddly good about that.”

Then he pulled Arthur down for a brain melting kiss.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
